The Value of the Mass

Up to our own times, it has been the constant concern of supreme pontiffs to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy ritual to the Divine Majesty, 'to the praise and glory of His name,' and 'to the benefit of all His Holy Church - Pope Benedict XVI, Summorum Pontificum

Saturday, August 11, 2007

New List!

I just wanted to highlight the new list on my blog! If your interested in vocations (male vocations) check out the list just below my profile. If you can think of any orders that are missing, let me know and give me their website and I will add them!

I'm not sure why the Canons disbanded in St. Louis. I guess their newsletter says that they're going to reconstitute in a year, but this will make the second time in ten years that they've reconstituted. I think that definately speaks to their stability.

The Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem have NOT disbanded. I know because I am entering as a postulant in two weeks. They are having to temporarily leave St. Louis, but they are certainly still an Order, still attached to Archbishop Burke, and though next year will be a bit irregular with the seminarians studying at the Angelicum and Father and I living at a Norbertine Abbey as a guest community...the CRNJ is moving ahead with many prospects and is NOT disbanding at all, just transitioning to our next stage...which will hopefully include a permanent church (not just a chapel in a garage on land sold to make McMansions) and a womens' branch is in the works. Please list the canons, as they are not disbanding, and this rumor needs to be stopped and we need all the promotion and exposure we can get right now. Thanks.

They are not "reconstituting" in a year, and the last time you claim they "reconstituted" it was not a reconstitution either, merely a move. They moved from Lacrosse to St. Louis when Bishop Burke of Lacrosse got promoted to Archbishop of St. Louis and invited the canons to follow him, he being their juridical sponsor. They are incredibly stable and interdependant as a community, which is the only thing that has made surviving all these difficulties possible. They recently underwent an official outside canonical visitation, and their religious life was found to be excellent, especially for a community bombarded by so many troubles. The report was glowing, but contained some not completely unharsh words to the diocese for letting such an enthusiastic and observant Order be treated so flippantly. The diocese has sold their land, so they are taking up some temporary arrangements until the end of the academic year, when hopefully a permanent church and canonry will be found for us suitable for the old rite. They are not disbanding, not being reconstituted, not "taking a break"...the community and our projects are chugging along as ever even under difficult circumstances that have resulted from the stressful land sale, and from not being given the full support from the diocese that was implied before the move, often times being ignored in favor of the more high profile old rite community in town. As I said, they are taking a new novice (me) whose formation will be overseen by the CRNJ superior, even as we stay as guests at St. Michael's Abbey, and the two seminarians are going to get some valuable experience with "romanitas" studying at the Angelicaum for a year. Several loyal parishioners are also following the canons to California and whereever we wind up after that, including some women in the beginning stages of founding the womens' branch. Please, do not give up on the canons like this or speak so cynically of us. Thanks.

I realise that their not comupter whizzes. Neither am I. I wasn't criticizing them, I was just stating that thier website is problematic. I know because I tried to get in contact with them about a month ago for vocation information and it took me forever to get a hold of them. Now that they've moved, all of the information on the website is outdated.

Fortunately, I was able to speak with a young brother and he said he was going to send me a packet with some information about them. I'm still waiting for it. I'm not trying to sound bitter, but if they're having vocation troubles, the difficulty in contacting and corresponding with them may be the problem.

The Altar Pic on My Title

Notice the Altar. Pointing to our Lord, our eyes are focused on eternity. Let us turn to the Lord in celebration for, once again, man approaches eternity and contemplates the heavenly. Let us pray for our Holy Father, the Pope, who discerned the will of God and discerned that this is good.Introibo ad altare Dei.

Word to the Wise

A day will come when the civilized world will deny its God, when the Church will doubt as Peter doubted. She will be tempted to believe that man has become God. In our churches, Christians will search in vain for the red lamp where God awaits them. Like Mary Magdalene, weeping before the empty tomb, they will ask, "Where have they taken him?" -Pope Pius XII